Liver Cancer
The liver is formed by several different types of cells. Different tumors can start in any of these cell types. There are four main types of malignant liver tumors.
Hepatocellular carcinomaa (HCC) develops from hepatocytes, the main type of liver cell. HCC accounts for about 84 percent of primary liver cancers (cancer beginning within the liver). There are several subtypes of HCC, the most significant of these is the fibrolamellar subtype. This subtype is associated with a much better prognosis than other forms of HCC.
Hepatoblastoma is a rare type of liver cancer that is usually found in children less than four years old. About 70 percent of children with this disease are treated successfully and the survival rate is over 90 percent for early stage hepatoblastomas. In contrast with most adult liver cancers, hepatoblastomas usually respond well to chemotherapy.
Cholangiocarcinoma is a type of adenocarcinoma (malignant glandular tumor) that starts in small bile ducts within the liver. About 13 percent of primary liver cancers are cholangiosarcomas. Most cholangiocarcinomas cannot be completely removed by surgery, due to their size and/or location within the liver. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are also not effective. For these reasons, their prognosis is poor, with an average survival after diagnosis of about six months.
Angiosarcomas or hemangiosarcomas begin from blood vessels of the liver. Angiosarcomas of the liver are rare, accounting for about 1 pecent of liver cancers. Unfortunately, they grow rapidly and are usually too widespread to be removed surgically by the time they are found. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy do not help much. The typical patient survives less than six months after diagnosis.
